Hub of Camaraderie
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Darshan Shah. (All pics by Suvashis Mullick) |
This textile doyen likes to let her work do
the talking. So, if you ever catch Darshan Shah in some soiree, easing up with a flute
and banter, do chip in the salutations. For, we assure you that even before you
can say ‘good’ the next morning, she would have gone back to her studio to pore
over some heritage weave for her next project. Surrounded by rustling fabrics,
textiles, saris and apparels in her waking hours, Darshan is a busy weave
minstrel in her work space. That’s why her home is such a peaceful surprise.
The owner of popular Weaver’s Studio in Kolkata was sure that she wanted a
change when she headed to her nest at tony Queen’s park every evening. The apartment
is a serene station to unwind in. It’s clean, subtle and contemporary with a
fuss-free air about it. And that’s how Darshan loves it.
This is Darshan ad verbatim describing the
décor of her home, “Earlier we had a very Fab
India look here. Rustic tones and earthy touches were evident in all
corners. A few years back when we were redoing the place, Radhika, my daughter,
decided we incorporate the Good Earth
look. So, we retained the traditional setting but gave it a more contemporary
twist. To offset the beiges, ekrus and whites we threw in purples, pinks and
fuchsia, and a lot of florals through cushions. Paresh Maity, who is a dear
friend, walked in one day, noticed the colours in the living room and decided
he wanted to paint something for the main wall.”
A few days later the acclaimed artist came
back with a large canvas that amalgamated purple, silver, white and beige
brilliantly. Darshan was ecstatic with the gift, simply because the art brought
the space to life. “He used the silver hues that he has imported from Japan.
Co-incidentally a lot of Weaver’s Studio creations are exported to Japan, too.”
Darshan has been working with the best of heritage
and national weaves and textiles ever since she set up Weaver’s Studio label 19
years ago. “We use as many hands as possible to make handcrafted textiles which
have gone through an intensive and extensive process from the time the cotton
is picked, cleaned, combed, spu n,
reeled, drummed, warped, wefted and then woven. After that there are value
additions with printing, dyeing as well as embroidery. Our clothes are
handcrafted and hence luxurious.” Like her elegant clothes, Darshan’s house too,
is fuss-free. “There’s no point cramming things up. It will only amount to
accumulation of dust and will involve high maintenance. I like it clean over
here. After a hard day’s work, I want to come back to a place where I can put
on my favourite music and calm myself down.”
Extremely proud of the treasure trove of
art in the country, Darshan has been collecting stunning works by Raza, Ganesh
Pyne, Ganesh Haloi, Sunil Das, Satish Gupta, Vaikuntham, Maya Burman and
Chitrabhanu Majumdar. Of course, there are creations by her dear friends,
Paresh Maity, Jayshree Burman and Narayan Chandra Sinha, that give the space
its own character and colour. “We in India, have such beautiful art that there
is no need to look outside. There are great artists and the indigenous handiwork
are marvelous. For instance, once Jayshree, Paresh and I had gone to Rajasthan
and noticed an old haveli was being pulled own. We retrieved 30 dilapidated but
breathtaking glass paintings from there. Jayshree took 15 and I took the rest.
I got them restored and hung them in my bedroom.” Another heritage jamdani
textile restored by Darshan’s guru, Bangladeshi textile artist Ruby Ghaznavi
has been hung in her bedroom. “The textile was beautiful and it was further
value-added by Anamika Khanna, who is a dear friend.”
While she has collected a plethora of
sculptures that adorn her workspace, she has kept the best of the paintings for
her home. Two black and white horses by Sunil Das are interesting and the Vaikuntham
canvas in Radhika’s bedroom is eye-catching. Then there’s a Jayshree Burman
sculpture from her last collection and a Narayan Chandra Sinha Ganpati
sculpture that was a gift from the artist himself. “I put up this large
vertical painting of Jayshree’s near the staircase as the work is extremely
intricate. Called The Divine Family,
it’s a spectacular creation.”
The house proud designer is known to host
quaint musical soirees at her abode, where friends gather over great home food,
adda and classical music. “Singers,
artists and creative people, come and relax over here. There is a thread of
informality that they adore.” The terrace, converted into a lush landscaped
garden, can host about 80 people during such parties. A casual den done up with
the hues of ivory and indigo is a cosy nook. “It’s breezy, green and splendid
when we have the soirees here,” says Darshan.
Just as an afterthought she adds, “This
house infuses positive energy in me. More so because I lived here with my
father and he taught me to enjoy life every single day. I have wonderful
memories of those years. Radhika, too, got married from this home. I cherish
these fond memories.”
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